The Landmark Theatre in Ilfracombe is one of the more distinctive buildings on the North Devon coast, with its extraordinary twin-dome seafront design creating an unmistakable silhouette on the promenade. Inside, it is the principal performing arts venue for North Devon, with a programme that runs from touring theatre and live music to comedy, dance and family shows throughout the year.
The quality and ambition of the Landmark’s programming is consistently impressive for a venue of its size and location. Touring productions from across the South West and beyond pass through regularly, and the theatre has a genuinely loyal local following who fill it for shows that would do good business in much larger towns.
The café and bar within the Landmark are open before and after performances and at lunchtimes, and the building’s seafront position means it is worth visiting simply for the view. The promenade frontage is one of the better spots in Ilfracombe for watching the Bristol Channel in dramatic weather.
Even if you do not have a specific show to attend, checking the Landmark’s programme before your stay is worth doing, there is nearly always something on during summer weeks, and an evening at the theatre in Ilfracombe is a very pleasurable change of pace.
The Landmark is on Wilder Road in Ilfracombe, about 6 miles from Woolacombe. Booking through the theatre’s own website or by phone.
The Landmark’s architecture is worth a moment of appreciation in its own right: the twin-dome design by Tim Ronalds Architects was completed in 1997 and remains one of the most distinctive pieces of contemporary architecture on the North Devon coast. The building is fully accessible and the café bar is open to non-theatre-goers during the day. For those planning an evening at the Landmark, the combination of dinner at one of Ilfracombe’s harbour restaurants followed by a show at the theatre makes for a very satisfying evening out, and one that works well for adult groups as well as families.
